Container feed mechanism for refuse incinerator

ABSTRACT

In one form of the apparatus a refuse-filled container is transported on a conveyor up to a pickup point adjacent to the kiln chute of the incinerator. A rotatable grid with a floor section raises upwardly through the conveyor, so that the floor section engages the container and lifts it free of the conveyor. Pivotal arm members clamp onto the filled container and hold it in place on the grid while the grid is rotated into the kiln chute to a point at which the refuse will empty out of the container and into the kiln chute. The grid is then rotated back to its starting position below the conveyor to deposit the empty container on the conveyor so that the container can be reused.

Jones Jan. 9, 1973 [54] CONTAINER FEED MECHANISM FOR REFUSE INCINERATOR [75] Inventor: Robert D. Jones, Midland, Mich.

[73] Assignee: The Dow Chemical Company,

Midland, Mich.

[221 Filed: Oct. 6, 1970 [2]] Appl. No.: 78,543

[52] U.S. Cl .214/23, 110/101 R, 214/314 [51] Int. Cl. ..B65g 47/82, 865g 47/86 [58] Field otSearch ..2l4/312,3l3,314, 18 R, 23; 110/101 R [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,681,160 6/l954 Molins et al ..2l4/302 2,781,929 2/1957 Uhrich ....2l4/3l4 2,351,731 6/1944 Abbott ....214/314 3,438,523 4/1969 Vik ....2l4/313 3,369,681 2/1968 Casson ..2l4/152 2,148,465 2/1939 Hein 1,295,l95 2/1919 Parker Primary Examiner-Gerald M. Forlenza Assistant Examiner-Lawrence J. Oresky Attorney-Griswold and Burdiclc, V. Dean Clausen and William R. Norris [57] ABSTRACT In one form of the apparatus a refuse-filled container is transported on a conveyor up to a pickup point adjacent to the kiln chute of the incinerator. A rotatable grid with a floor section raises upwardly through the conveyor, so that the floor section engages the container and lifts it free of the conveyor. Pivotal arm members clamp onto the filled container and hold it in place on the grid while the grid is rotated into the kiln chute to a point at which the refuse will empty out of the container and into the kiln chute. The grid is then rotated back to its starting position below the conveyor to deposit the empty container on the conveyor so that the container can be reused.

2 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PATENTEUJAN 9197a 3,709,386

SHEET 1 BF 3 ENVENTOR. R0 ber/ D. Jones IQGENT PATENTEDJAM 9191a 3.709 386 SHEET 2 BF 3 V INVENTOR. Rober/Q Jones HGENT PATENTEDJAN 9 1915 SHEET 3 BF 3 IINVENTOR. RoberfD. J0n$ BY 4M (2 CONTAINER FEED MECHANISM FOR REFUSE INCINERATOR BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 the feed mechanism is indicated generally by numeral 10. Means for delivering a refuse-filled container 11 to a pickup point is provided by several interconnected,

power driven roller conveyors 12, 13 and 14. Thepickup point for container 1!, as indicated at 14a, is at the open end of conveyor 14, which is positioned adjacent to the incinerator kiln chute 15. The end of conthe filled container onto a charging grid pivotally mounted over the kiln chute. In the dumping sequence the grid is swung downwardly to dump both the container and its contents into the kiln chute, thus destroying the container along with the waste material. Since many refuse containers now being used are metal, the

destruction of the containers makes waste disposal a very costly operation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A principal object of the present invention, therefore, is to provide a mechanism for feeding refuse into an incinerator in which the refuse container can be reclaimed or can be disposed of along with the refuse.

Another object is to provide an automated system for feeding refuse into an incinerator.

Broadly, the apparatus and method of the invention is directed to feeding a container of refuse into the kiln chute of an incinerator. In a preferred embodiment, the refuse-filled container is delivered on a conveyor means to a pickup point positioned adjacent to the kiln chute. A dump grid is provided which includes a floor section. When the grid is in normal rest position, the floor section lies below the pickup point on the conveyor. In operating position, the floor section of the grid is raised above the conveyor to engage the filled container and lift it above the conveyor. Once the filled container is lifted free of the conveyor, the container is clamped and held in place on the dumping grid by a clamping means. The grid is then rotated to a point at which the refuse will empty out of the container into the kiln chute. The gridis then rotated back to its starting position below the conveyor at the pickup point, so

that the empty container is deposited onto the conveyor.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a top plan view of an incinerator feed mechanism according to one embodiment of the inventlon.

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the feed mechanism of FIG. 1 taken on line 22.

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of a second embodiment of the feed mechanism ofthis invention.

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view of the feed mechanism of FIG. 3 taken on line 4-4.

veyor l4 opposite to the pickup point is joined to a take-away conveyor 16. Means for lifting container 11 free of conveyor 14 and dumping the contents of the container into chute15 is provided by a dump grid, indicated generally by numeral 17. Dump grid 17 comprises a floor section 17a and a backstop member 17b, the open end of the floor section being pivotally mounted on shaft 18 adjacent to conveyor 14. Preferably, backstop 17b is an upstanding member, i.e., it is positioned perpendicular to floor section 170. The invention is not limited to an upstanding backstop member, however. For example, the backstop member could be of a different configuration and could be positioned differently on the dump grid 17.

In order to save certain containers for further use, particularly metal containers, such as steel drums, means are provided for clamping and holding the drum 11 onto dumpgrid 17, while the contents of the drum are emptied into kiln chute 15. For this purpose dump grid 17 includes a pair of clamp arms 19 and 20, which are carried on backstop member 17b. As best shown in FIG. 1, arm 19 is a crescent-shaped, left hand arm pivotally attachedat one end to the backstop member 17b. A companion member to arm 19 is clamp arm 20, which is a crescent-shaped right hand. arm also pivotally attached at one end to backstop member 17b.

To provide an explosion-proof arrangement for handling highly inflammable materials, feed mechanism 10 includes a safety gate interlock system. The interlock system comprises entrance gate 21,, which is positioned about midway on conveyor 14 and a chute gate 22, which separates dump grid 17 from kiln chute 15. Gates 21 and 22 are operated independently of each other, preferably by hydraulic means. The gates are used to isolate each drum 11 on dump grid 17 during the dumping sequence, as described in more detail hereinafter.

Also associated with dump grid 17 is a hydraulically operated ram, which includes a piston 23 and ram head 23a. Since the ram is usually employed only'in the embodiment of the feed mechanism illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, operation of the device is explained later in this text. The feed mechanism 10 also includes a feed grid 24. One end of grid 24 is pivotally mounted on shaft 25 which is preferably positioned at the top of kiln chute l5. Feed grid 24 is also used only in the dumping sequence performed by the feed mechanism illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4. The positions of ram 23 and feed grid 24 as they appear in FIGS. 1 and 2, therefore, are standby positions, as explained more fully hereinafter.

The feed mechanism 10, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, is employed when it is desired to reclaim the container rather than dispose of it along with the waste material. At the start of a typical dumping sequence, as performed by the feed mechanism 10, both of the gates 21 and 22 are closed. Conveyors 12 and 13 are started and the filled container 11 at the head of the line on conveyor 12 moves onto conveyor 13. Both of the conveyors 12 and 13 continue to run until the first container reaches the point where conveyor 13 joins with conveyor 14. Simultaneously, the second container on conveyor 12 moves to the head of the line. At this point in the sequence arm is in a retracted position, i.e., it lies parallel to conveyor 14, but arm 19 is in extended position, as best shown in FIG. 1. At the same time, floor section 17a of grid 17 is at its rest position below the pickup point 14:: on grid 17. As the first container moves onto conveyor 14, gate 21 opens to allow the container to ride on conveyor 14 until it bumps against arm 19.

When container 11 bumps against arm 19, floor section 17a raises above conveyor 14 and lifts container 11 free of the conveyor. At this point gate 21 closes and gate 22 opens. Arm 20 then clamps around container 11 on the side opposite to arm 19, so that the combined clamping action of arms 19 and 20 holds the container in place on dump grid 17. Dump grid 17 is then rotated on shaft 18 by hydraulic unit 26, through an arc of about 180, as indicated by the phantom illustration in FIG. 2, to empty the contents of the container into kiln chute l5. Grid 17 is then rotated back to its starting position, i.e., with floor section 17a lying below conveyor 14, to thereby deposit the empty container 11 on conveyor 14. The direction of conveyor 14 is then reversed (note the phantom arrow in FIG. 1) to carry the container back onto take-away conveyor 16. A safety factor is provided, however, in the event the container and/or its contents should catch fire while the container is being emptied, i.e., prior to rotating grid 17 back to its starting position. In this event the operator can instantly drop the filled container into the kiln chute by automatically activating a release mechanism (not shown) for clamp arms 19 and 20.

As previously mentioned, ram 23 and feed grid 24 are not employed in the usual dumping and container recovery operation performed by the feed mechanism illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. During the dumping operation previously described, therefore, the ram head 23a is in a retracted position, i.e., a standby position, as indicated in FIGS. 1 and 2. In retracted position, ram head 23a rests within a hollow portion 27 of backstop member 17b of grid 17. As will be obvious from the construction of feed mechanism 10, the hollow portion in backstop member 17b is necessary to permit grid 17 to rotate upwardly during the dumping sequence without interference from ram head 23a. Also, to prevent feed grid 24 from interfering with rotation of grid 17, the free end of the feed grid is rotated downwardly into kiln chute 15 (note particularly FIG. 2). It will also be apparent that the ram head-piston mechanism need not be positioned so that ram head 23a extends through backstop 17b. The ram mechanism, for example, can be located adjacent to the backstop, so that in retracted position ram head 23a is not in the line of rotation ofgrid 17.

Although ram head 23a is not ordinarily used in the operation of the feed mechanism shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, it can serve as an additional safety device in an emergency. For example, if the filled container catches fire while it is at pickup point 14a on conveyor 14, piston 23 can be automatically actuated by the operator so that ram head 23a instantly pushes the filled container off the conveyor directly into kiln chute 15.

A second embodiment of the present feed mechanism, as generally indicated by number 10a, is illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4. Since the construction of the mechanism of FIGS. 3 and 4 is the same as the mechanism shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the various parts of each mechanism are identical and are therefore designated with like numerals. The basic difference in the two embodiments lies in the method employed for dumping refuse into the kiln chute 15.

In the dumping sequence of feed mechanism 10a, the refuse-filled container 1 1 is transported to pickup point 14a on the conveyor 14 in the same manner as described above for feed mechanism 10. Once the filled container is positioned on dump grid 17, however, gate 21 closes and gate 22 opens. Ram piston 23 is then actuated hydraulically to extend ram head 23a outwardly through hollow portion 27 of backstop member 17b. Ram head 23a thus engages container 11 and pushes it through gate 22 onto feed grid 24, which is at the horizontal position indicated in FIGS. 3 and 4. As the filled container is being pushed across grid 17 it brushes aside clamp arm 19, since the free end of the arm is pivotally connected to backstop member 17b. Once the container 11 is positioned on grid 24, gate 22 closes and feed grid 24 is pivoted downwardly to drop both the container and its contents into kiln chute l5. Feed grid 24 is then retracted, i.e., pivoted upwardly, to its original horizontal position.

In both embodiments of the incinerator feed mechanism described herein, various power systems are utilized in performing the refuse dumping sequence. Since the systems are conventional and may be modified to fit a particular operation, the individual systems are not shown in the drawing or described in the specification. In general, the conveyors and safety gates are operated by electrical or hydraulic systems and the dumping grid, feed grid and ram means are operated by electrical or hydraulic systems.

Other features which can be incorporated into the present container feed mechanism include sensing and counting devices (not shown) positioned at various places in the system which can automatically determine the sequence of various operations. Examples of such operations include (I) instant closing of the safety gates 21 and 22 to prevent injury and/or damage in the event of fire or explosion; (2) shutting down the entire system in the event of failure of any part of the system; (3) feeding a given number of refuse-filled containers into the kiln chute with automatic control to effect retrieval of the container or destruction of the container along with the refuse, as desired.

Additionally, various other embodiments (not shown) are contemplated in the practice of this invention. The dump grid 17, for example, can be positioned within the kiln chute 15 rather than adjacent to the kiln chute as in the present embodiment. In a second embodiment, clamp arms 19 and 20, rather than being carried on backstop member 1712, can be attached to ram piston 23, i.e., the clamp arms would replace ram head 23a. In this embodiment, the refuse-filled container can be removed from dump grid 17 by the clamp arrn-piston mechanism, with either the refuse and container or the refuse alone being dumped directly into the kiln chute. In a third embodiment the clamp armpiston mechanism can include a support member thereon. The support member would receive the refusefilled container as it feeds off of conveyor 14 and would hold the container in place at the end of the piston during the dumping operation. The second embodiment eliminates the need for feed grid 24 and for rotating of the dump grid 17. In the third embodiment neither feed grid 24 nor dump grid 17 is required.

What is claimed is:

1. In a refuse incinerator, an apparatus for feeding a container of refuse into the kiln chute of the incinerator, which includes, in combination:

conveyor means for delivering the refuse-filled container to a pickup point on said conveyor means adjacent to the kiln chute,

a dump grid which has one end pivotally mounted adjacent to the conveyor means and which includes a floor section and a backstop member,

a feed grid pivotally mounted at one end of the kiln chute, and

a ram means,

whereby, in operation of the apparatus the floor section of the dump grid is raised above the conveyor means at the said pickup point to thereby engage and lift the filled container above said conveyor means, the ram means engages the filled container and pushes the container from the dump grid onto the feed grid, and the feed grid is rotated downwardly into the kiln chute to thereby dump the refuse and the container into the kiln chute.

2. In a refuse incinerator, an apparatus for feeding a container of refuse into the kiln chute of the incinera- 6 tor, which includes, in combination:

a conveyor means for delivering the refuse-tilled container to a pickup point on the conveyor means adjacent to the kiln chute, I

a rotatable dump grid which includes a floor section and a backstop member,

the dump grid having one end pivotally mounted adjacent to the conveyor and the conveyor extending in a direction parallel to the pivot axis of the dump grid,

the floor section of the grid being positioned below the pickup point on the conveyor when the dump grid is at rest position and the said floor section being adapted to raise upwardly through the conveyor to engage the filled container when the dump grid is rotated,

clamping means defined by a left hand clamp arm and a right hand clamp arm, the clamp arms being spaced apart and pivotally mounted on the backstop member of the dump grid, for clamping and holding the refuse-filled container onto the dump grid when the grid is rotated,

the said clamp arms extending transversely of the conveyor when in container-clamping position, with one arm being adapted to pivot independently of the other arm to a position substantially parallel to the conveyor means and to the pivot axis of the dump grid to allow the filled container to move into clamping position on the conveyor, and the second arm acting as a stop member to limit further movement of the container on the conveyor. 

1. In a refuse incinerator, an apparatus for feeding a container of refuse into the kiln chute of the incinerator, which includes, in combination: conveyor means for delivering the refuse-filled container to a pickup point on said conveyor means adjacent to the kiln chute, a dump grid which has one end pivotally mounted adjacent to the conveyor means and which includes a floor section and a backstop member, a feed grid pivotally mounted at one end of the kiln chute, and a ram means, whereby, in operation of the apparatus the floor section of the dump grid is raised above the conveyor means at the said pickup point to thereby engage and lift the filled container above said conveyor means, the ram means engages the filled container and pushes the containeR from the dump grid onto the feed grid, and the feed grid is rotated downwardly into the kiln chute to thereby dump the refuse and the container into the kiln chute.
 2. In a refuse incinerator, an apparatus for feeding a container of refuse into the kiln chute of the incinerator, which includes, in combination: a conveyor means for delivering the refuse-filled container to a pickup point on the conveyor means adjacent to the kiln chute, a rotatable dump grid which includes a floor section and a backstop member, the dump grid having one end pivotally mounted adjacent to the conveyor and the conveyor extending in a direction parallel to the pivot axis of the dump grid, the floor section of the grid being positioned below the pickup point on the conveyor when the dump grid is at rest position and the said floor section being adapted to raise upwardly through the conveyor to engage the filled container when the dump grid is rotated, clamping means defined by a left hand clamp arm and a right hand clamp arm, the clamp arms being spaced apart and pivotally mounted on the backstop member of the dump grid, for clamping and holding the refuse-filled container onto the dump grid when the grid is rotated, the said clamp arms extending transversely of the conveyor when in container-clamping position, with one arm being adapted to pivot independently of the other arm to a position substantially parallel to the conveyor means and to the pivot axis of the dump grid to allow the filled container to move into clamping position on the conveyor, and the second arm acting as a stop member to limit further movement of the container on the conveyor. 